Landfill sparks fear for future of stud farm

A WORLD famous Co Meath stud farm says it may be forced to shut down because a major landfill dump is coming to the locality.

Suma Stud at Beauparc, Navan, contains the largest single herd of Irish draught mares and is regarded as a top stud in the sport horse industry. It has 20 mares, three stallions, as well as younger horses and sport animals.

Stud spokesperson Marilyn Power said the future of the stud farm in its current location “remains to be seen”.

“We’re not going to up sticks suddenly and stop, because the dump’s not going to start up suddenly,” she said.

An Bord Pleanála this week approved the controversial landfill project near Navan despite vigorous opposition by local interests who appealed the original Meath County Council decision. It was claimed a local dump could knock 50% off the value of nearby houses.

The decision will allow private Dublin-based company Celtic Waste Ltd to dispose of huge quantities of non-toxic waste each year from the Dublin area.

The plan will see 132,000 tonnes of waste dumped on the 66-acre Knockharley site every year until 2007 and 88,000 tonnes from 2008 onwards.

Meath County Council gave planning permission, subject to a number of conditions, in July 2001. Celtic Waste also proposes to provide a number of landfills in other parts of the country.

In a statement, the company said: “Celtic Waste is very pleased to have received planning permission for the development and is currently studying the decision. Celtic Waste will be in a position to comment further in due course.”

Ms Power told the planning appeal clean soil, clean air and unpolluted water were prime needs for horse breeding. If the landfill went ahead roads would become unsafe to ride on and carrion would destroy the fields.

The construction of a landfill site in the immediate vicinity would lead to the owners having to give up their world-famous Irish draught mares. In Europe the breed was classified as an endangered species.

Operating for 25 years, Suma Stud has regular visits for educational purposes. Horses bred at the stud represent the cream of Irish horse breeding while their stallions have represented Ireland at the world championship.

A chartered surveyor’s report said the prices of houses close to the proposed dump could fall by 50-60%. There are 65 houses within 1km and several hundred houses, including Kentstown village, within 1.5 kms of the site.

Resident Bernie McDonnell said they had sold their house at a drop of almost 30% in value. Several prospective buyers had emerged but as soon as the landfill issue was known to them she “never saw them again”.

One family withdrew its children from Kentstown National School and the authorities were having trouble recruiting fully qualified staff, Fr David 0’Hanlon, chairman of the school board of management, told the hearing.